Bruges Group (United Kingdom)

The Bruges Group is a United Kingdom-based Eurosceptic think tank. Founded in 1989, it advocates for greater national sovereignty and a looser relationship between the UK and the European Union. The group's name refers to a speech given by Margaret Thatcher in Bruges, Belgium, in 1988, where she warned against a European superstate.

The Bruges Group produces research papers, hosts events, and engages in media commentary to promote its views. It covers a wide range of topics related to the UK's relationship with the EU, including trade, regulation, immigration, and foreign policy. Its stated aims are to promote open trade, deregulation, and a return of powers from Brussels to Westminster.

The organization is generally considered to be aligned with the right-wing of British politics and has historically had close ties to the Conservative Party, though it maintains that it is non-partisan. Notable figures associated with the Bruges Group include politicians, academics, and business leaders who share its Eurosceptic perspective.

Following the UK's departure from the European Union, the Bruges Group has continued to advocate for a specific vision of Britain's post-Brexit future, focusing on areas such as regulatory divergence and independent trade policy. It remains an active voice in debates surrounding the UK's relationship with Europe and its place in the world.